2010 Prius Models and Option Packages

People want what they can not get!

 

LOL!.. I read that and thought you caught me in a miss-spell.. if you only knew!.. thank goodness for the spellchecker and edit function!

I never knew you were a fat-head?

 

I think you're over reacting. Toyota is offering a very flexible optioned vehicle compared to the competition. (How loaded can you get an Insight?) It is in their marketing plan to offer a specific gropu of options and then ship with the regions and dealers trying to match up as best as possible. You don't really order a car from the factory like you want it from Toyota. If you did, they would have to build and then ship your specific car to the dealer and the costs and tracking involved from factory to your dealer would be a lot more involved than their current setup. Would that be nice if they could? Probably yes, but then they may be in the same boat as GM who has shown that the business model of giving everyone all the possible option packages they want just doesn't work well as far as staying profitible.

I don't think your rant will cost Toyota more than perhaps one sell. And even there someone is standing in line to get the car you turn down.

I may not get exactly what I want but it will be close. In fact a lot closer than what anyone else can give me because at least Toyota is making the car I want. I could be hard headed and say I want a GM car that gives me what the Prius does. A lot of good that would do. Not even the past "worlds largest car maker" can come close to filling that order. Give Toyota credit where credit is due!

 

It was for a truly short-lived period!

 

Options that GM offers is one of their bright spots.. the reason they are in trouble is years of very poor decisions... now they are trying to mend their ways with options.. but I'm afraid its far too late for the immediate future.

You may be misjudging the public that goes for the top end packages. I know for a fact that there were many complaints from the team that went to detroit that they couldn't have the sunroof "and" the tech package with the V.

Its common if your going for "the works" that thats exactly what you want.. "the works"... even if you will rarely use them all.

Its the luxury complex.... most people who buy luxury cars can live without all the fancies, but they get them all "just because they can" among other reasons.

Its true, Toyota has some nice packages and I Know they will never please everyone, but the more you please, the more you sell.

What better group to please, than the ones who don't mind spending some money and go for the gold?

 

Something no one has mentioned.
Its been discussed that it takes about 8 years "before the 2010 model" to recoup the extra cost of the car in gas savings.
Based on what Gas prices are, that figure can change.

My point is.. people buy the prius for "many" reasons above and beyond its gas savings.

If Toyota can crank up the gas savings, the price will be more palatable, or if the options can increase.

But there are many who do the math and realize they will not keep their car 8 years to recoup the cost and so buy non-hybrid.

I personally love the technology and knowing I'm being propelled down the road in a much better, more advanced and amazing way of technology... being a technical lover, I can and do appreciate that..

But much of the public just wants to go down the road in comfort with as little cost as possible.

I commend Toyota for leading the pack by reinventing the wheel.

I hope Toyota does not forget that many don't care if its a new wheel or an old if it still gets them down the road just as fast for cheaper, they will pick the old.

Most of the prius buyers are [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elitism"]elitist.. [/ame]some for different reasons.

Elitist like it their way.. thats how Burger King made it big and now its amazing what they can get for a fancy burger and fries with a drink!

Anyway.. this has turned into a philosophical discussion of opinions and the likes.

I'm not a market expert, I can only speak for what I like and see.

Toyota will have to decide what has merit and what doesn't.

 

Bottom line is if you're mainly worried about cost then a used Corolla is what you need. Probably no other option (other than a cheaper used economy car) will ever be justified in terms of cost.

Everybody has a price range and a level of comfort and they usually only consider cars in those ranges. Seldom, (but sometimes) do cars overlap categories. Hybrids do provide some overlap in that they can be midsize like the TCH yet have better economy than a Corolla. However they are in a different price range.

People looking at a $30K Prius are not interested in a $22K Prius or even an Insight. For the things that interest me and keep me satisfied in a car purchase the 2010 Prius has just crossed that line. I would not have a 2009, I'd buy a TCH first. That's just me.

When I went into my TCH I traded an Infinity FX45. The Camry did not have the performance I enjoyed but it was acceptable. It had enough comfort and size that I considered it. It was not about saving money though. It was about saving gas. At that it excelled.

But even with that gas savings I have to have a certain level of comfort and the car has to be something that interests me. The Insignt is interesting but there is no way I would drive or be happy with a cheap car. For those of you that have driven a $50K car and a $20K car you probably understand the differences in the ride and suspension. You either agree or disagree that it's worth the extra. To most that can afford it, it is worth the money. The FX was on the high end of my range and I loved it, the TCH was on the low end but I loved it for what it was. However the TCH had to meet certain criteria for me and it did.

Until the Lexus 250h comes out the Prius IV and V will be in a class by itself. Nothing will come close from any other brand to meet the expectations of these buyers. Even with the Lexus I don't expect the FE to be close to the Prius but with the looks and the comfort, it will compete with the Prius V people who want even more. Bottom line for these purchasers will be the gasoline savings not the cost. The difference in 40 mpg and 50 mpg for someone used to getting less than 20 mpg will seem insignificant in terms of cost per year. The only reason I am not leaning towards waiting for the 250h is simply the 50 mpg mark of the Prius. That really keeps me interested.

However for a Prius II purchaser you would indeed consider the Insight or even a Corolla. At that point it will become a matter of preference, I believe the Prius will usually win that comparison but there are competitive options depending again on what it is you are mainly focusing on in your purchase.

 

Is there any indication that Toyota may in future release the model V package with cloth seats as an option? I can't abide leather but would love to get some of the other options that are available for this package.

Apologies if this has already been discussed.

Thanks,
-Paul

 

No, not in the U.S. I believe it is available in Europe (called "Executive" or some such name).

I bet your dealer would be pleased to switch out the seat coverings with a II or III and give you the microfiber seats!

 

Yup that's still the '09 on the servco website. Official rollout of the 2010 is sometime 1st - 2nd week of june though i heard preorders are already up.

As usual, we are at the mercy of servco for whatever package options they will offer.

 

Yep!... I know you hate to pay for leather if your not going to use it, but you may consider resale value and find some really nice covers you like.. then when you sell the car, the leather underneath will be immaculate!

 

What happened to the blizzard pearl paint color? They don't even offer white now on the Toyota website and I know it was on some of the earlier postings.

 

Might look again. It was hard to see until you put your mouse over the color. All the colors BUT Blizzard Pearl were on one row and it was in "slot" one under the row. Once I put my mouse there it showed up.

 

I'd imagine so. Still they didn't put a border around the paint chip so until you run your mouse over it and "highlight" , it is very difficult to see. Just something I'd think a web designer would notice if they stepped back and looked at these sites as a consumer.

 

To the last 3 posters,

Back over a year ago I saw the Blizzard Pearl paint on another Toyota vehicle (the Sienna minivan, I think) & it looked so strange to me (NOT ugly, but just strange depending on the ambient light & the angle that you viewed the body panels at) that I had to ask the dealer about it. He said it was a "premium" paint (& price) because it was a 3-stage paint (as opposed to all the other 2-stage paints that I was used to seeing on the Prius). Just thought I'd chime in.

Ken (in Bolton,Ct)

 

To the last 4 posters:

My dealer notified me yesterday that a 2010 in blizzard pearl will be arriving in about 28 days (we're in Alabama, and I guess we're a little slow here...) I checked current inventory on the lot and noticed that they have a Highlander in the same color so I went to take a look. I wasn't really crazy about it, but sometimes a color that looks bad on a large car looks good on a smaller car, and vice versa. I think I'd like to see the 2010 Prius in blizzard pearl before making up my mind.